1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to articles that facilitate the use of jewelry. More particularly, this invention pertains to jewelry clasps in which clasp members are secured, at least in part, by magnetic force.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The design of articles of jewelry is complicated by the need to combine function with appearance. Often a tradeoff is involved and such tradeoff is made particularly difficult when a device, such as a clasp is responsible for the security of often-extremely valuable articles such as pearls, pendants, necklaces and the like.
Clasps come in numerous designs and employ many functional means for securing to the wearer. While providing a secure locking mechanism, the design of a truly effective clasp must accommodate ready and mostly blind manipulation by the wearer. The size and shape of the clasp must not detract from less-functional elements of the jewelry.
As a consequence of the above criteria, it is recognized that the design of an easy-to-manipulate and secure clasp that does not detract from, and, in fact may add to the appearance and value of a necklace or the like poses a significant challenge to the jewelry designer/manufacturer.
The preceding and other shortcomings of the prior art are addressed and overcome by the present invention that provides, in a first aspect, a clasp for selectively joining a first element to a second element. Such clasp includes a first body member having a flange adapted to receive the first element. A second body member has a flange adapted to receive the second element.
Each of the body members includes at least one magnet. The body members are arranged so that a common magnetic field selectively secures the members to one another.
In second aspect, the invention provides a clasp for selectively joining a first element to a second element. Such clasp includes an elongated first generally-cylindrical body of a first diameter having opposed open and closed ends. A flange is fixed to the exterior surface of the closed end of the elongated first body.
A first disk-like magnet is arranged transverse to the axis of symmetry of and within the elongated first generally-cylindrical body. Such first disk-like magnet comprises semicircular disk regions divided by a first diameter with each semicircular disk region having opposed major surfaces of opposite magnetic polarity. Semicircular disk regions of the first disk-like magnet have major surface regions of opposite polarities on opposite sides of the first diameter.
An elongated second generally cylindrical body of a second diameter has a first closed end. A flange has an internal aperture fixed to the closed while the opposed end is closed by a second disk-like magnet arranged transverse to its axis of symmetry. The second magnet comprises two semicircular disk regions divided by a second diameter, each with opposed major surfaces of opposite magnetic polarity. The major disk regions of the second magnet are of opposite magnetic polarities at opposed sides of the second diameter. The second diameter is less than the first diameter whereby the elongated second generally cylindrical body may be received within the elongated first generally-cylindrical body.
In a third aspect, the invention provides a clasp for selectively joining a first element to a second element that includes a first generally-hemispherical housing element and a second generally-hemispherical housing element. A first magnet and a second magnet are provided. A first holder is adapted to receive the first magnet within the first generally-hemispherical housing and a second holder is adapted to receive the second magnet within the second generally-hemispherical housing.
Each of the first and second magnets comprises opposed surfaces of opposite magnetic polarity and the first and second holders are arranged to position the first magnet relative to said second magnet when the first and second generally-hemispherical housing elements are oriented to form a hemisphere so that surfaces of opposite magnetic polarity of the first and second magnets are adjacent one another.
The preceding and other features and advantages of the present invention will become further apparent from the detailed description that follows. Such description is accompanied by a set of drawing figures. Numerals of the drawing figures, corresponding to those of the written description, point to the features of the invention with like features referring to like features throughout both the written description and the drawings.